WWJD

On Christmas, you might expect the Texas Christian University football team to put church ahead of football. The word "Christian" is right there in the school's name!

However, it seems not even Jesus Christ is more important than practicing for the Rose Bowl.

Rather than travel to California after Christmas, which was the original plan, it seems TCU players approached coach Gary Patterson about making sure they were in California by Dec. 23 to have enough time to practice for the big game.

From the Fort-Worth Star-Telegram:

"They came to me and said, 'Coach, we have the rest of our lives to spend Christmas with our families, but one chance to go to the Rose Bowl,'" Patterson said.

"I haven't heard one person complain about that," center Jake Kirkpatrick said. "We're willing to sacrifice Christmas Day."

Jesus knows a thing or two about sacrifices. I wonder how he'd rank this one.

Kohl Center scoreboard

MADISON, Wis. – To reach the 17,000 fans in the Kohl Center, every little part of the Kohl Center scoreboard has advertising. But why is there an ad under the scoreboard? Is it to advertise to the players themselves?

Buddah's Hand

MADISON, Wis. – When you see something called "Buddah's Hand" in the produce section at the grocery store, you have to buy some, right? That's what the woman in front of Marnie and me in the check-out line said. Plus, it was $2.00 off!

I'm pretty sure they don't sell this fruit (?) back home in D.C., but now I'm curious.

In support of physical media

MADISON, Wis. – Strictly Discs was the first shop in this city to set up stations for people to listen to CDs before purchasing them. Over the years, fewer people have been interested in buying CDs, and it's likely the store is struggling. (I don't know this to be true, I'm merely speculating.)¹

As I passed Strictly Discs the other day, I enjoyed seeing the promotional billboard playing off the 1980s Maxell ads with the heading: "Get physical with your music."

¹Back in the day, I was in charge of getting Strictly Discs to buy ads in my high school newspaper. They made me jump through a lot of hoops, but they did buy a bunch of them.

Tales of the mundane

Cold weather has arrived. And thus begins my annual ritual of reminding myself out how to access my wallet gracefully while wearing a full-length coat.¹ I'm pretty sure it can't be done, yet I try each day as I reach for my Smartrip card to enter and exit the Metro.


¹Or three-quarters-length coat.

Whole wheat everything

NEW YORK – It's always annoyed me that bagel places treat whole wheat as a flavor. For example, most will offer flavors such as poppy, sesame, everything or whole wheat. I always want to order whole wheat poppy or whole wheat everything, but such flavors don't exist.

Well, they exist in one place: the Pick A Bagel at 77th and Lexington.

How do we feel about these two incidents?

COLLEGE

Monday: An NCAA investigation concludes that Cecil Newton had shopped his son Cam to college football programs. The NCAA says Cecil had asked Mississippi State for between $100,000 and $180,000 to get Cam to transfer to that school. Cam, the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, is ruled ineligible to play college football.

Tuesday: The NCAA reinstates Cam. He will be eligible to play in this week's SEC championship game.

PROS

Sunday: Andre Johnson does this (0:43 mark).

Monday: The NFL elects not to suspend Johnson, saying it would put his team at a "competitive disadvantage." He will be eligible to play in tonight's game.